Direction-indicator



L. A. BEAN.

DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICQWIC"! mm AUG.25, 1 9w.

1,340,333. Patented May 13,1920.

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L. A. BEAN.

DIRECTION lNUiCATDR.

APPLIcATION HLD AUG.25. 1919' 1,340,363, Patented May 18,1920.

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81 btoz mc Mp LOUIS A. BEAN, F DENVER, COLORADO.

DIRECTION-INDICATOR.

I Application filed August 25,

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, Loris A. Beam, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Direction-Indicators,

of which the following is a specification This invention relates to direction indicators for vehicles, and comprehends certain improvements in devices of that general character shown and described in Letters Pat ent No. 1,301,090, granted to me on April 22, 1919.

Generically considered it is the primary object and purpose of my present improve ments to simplify the construction of the" patented mechanism, and thereby render the device more reliable and positive in its operation, and capable of manufacture at comparatively small cost.

More particularly my inventioncontemplates the provision of a suitable housing having an indicating arm and hand normally inclosed therein, and novel and improved means for moving the arm and hand to exposed position relative to the housing,

. and simultaneously moving the hand to an extended position in advance of the arm.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved-indicator characterized by the novel construction, combination and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more full corporated in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated several'practical embodiments of my invention, and in which-similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing my inventionin its preferred form, mounted upon an automobile windshield.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through' the housing of the indicator.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 -3 of F 1g.2, showing the indicating arm and hand disposed in mdicative position.

' Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section through the tubular bracket arm.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing an altern ative operating means for the indicator arm.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates a casing or housing of the requi- Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

described and subsequently intubular steering post P.

Patented May 18, 1920. 1919. Serial No. 319,748.

site dimensions which may be constructed of aluminum, steel or. other suitable sheet metal. One of the side walls of this casing is provided with a vertically extending slot 6, the purpose of which will presently appear.

Vtith the lower end of the ca'singfi, a transverse shaft 7 is arranged and suitably fixed at its ends to the opposed casing walls. 1:referably this shaft at one of its ends extends Tearwardly from the casing as shown at 7' for the purpose of attaching a mirror. A wheel 8 is secured upon this shaft by means of the set screw 9 and is provided with a single tooth or cog 10 ,projecting radially from its periphery An indicating'arm 11 is loosely mounted at one of its ends uponthe shaft 7. A stud shaft 12 -is fixed in the other end of this arm, and upon said shaft a hand or other indicating member 13 is loosely engaged for movement relative to the arm 11. To the inner face of the Wrist portion of the hand 13 a cog gear 14 is fixed in concentric relation to the shaft 12. An endless link chain 15 is engaged upon the gear 14 and extends downwardly between the hand 13 and the arm 11 and around the wheel 7. lhe cog 10 of said wheel is engaged through one of the chain links. This cog is threaded to receive a nut 16 which is adaptedto be adjusted against the chain to tighten the latter as may, from time to time, become necessary.

An opening 17 is formed through the palm of the hand 13 in which an electric light bulb 18 is disposed. The'circuit for this bulb may be automatically closed when the hand is moved to its indicative position, in the manner hereinafter described.

To the casing 5a tubular bracket arm 19 is suitably fixed. This arm is' longitudinally adjustable in a sleeve 21 on one end of a supporting member '20 which extends forwardly, and is fixed in a bracket" member 23 secured upon the side of the windshield frame 25.

The inner end of the arm 19 is mounted on a bracket 32 which is clamped upon the The member 20 is secured in an adjusted position by means of set screws 26.

An operating rod 27 extends of the casing 5. Atwisted link 29 is looselvth rp' hthe braket arm 19.- One end of this re s proin indicative position,

connected at one of its ends to this arm and has its other end pivotally connected to the lower end of the indicator arm 11, as at 30. The other and of the rod 27 projects beyond the end of the bracket arm 19 ad'acent to the steering post, and is provide with a suitable head 31 whereby it may be conveniently rotated. This rod is yieldmgly held in its normal position a ainst rotation by means of a torsional coi ed spring 32, which is housed within the bracket arm 19.

In the operation of the indicator as above described, assuming that the several parts a re in the positions seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, when it is desired to dispose the hand it is only necessary to rotate the rod 27. The link 28 will thus exert an upward pull upon the lower'end of the arm 11 at one side of the shaft 7, and cause said arm to turn on the fixed shaft swing ing the same outwardlly and downwardly through the slot 6 in the casing wall through an arc of 90 to a horizontal position. n this movement of the arm it will be obvious that as the chain 15 is fixed to the wheel 8 at the lower side thereof, the said wheel being fixed against rotation, the hand 13 is turned through the medium of the cog gear w th which the chain is engaged. The hand is turned uoon the arm throuvh 180, owing to thgl lelative diameters of the wheel 8 and the gear 14 until the hand is disposed in parallel relation to the arm and in advance thereof. When the rod 27 is released the spring 32 immediately acts to return the parts to their normal position wherein the indicating hand and arm are wholly inclosed within the casing. It will be understood that one of the indicatorsis mounted upon each side of the windshield frame to indicate right and left hand turns.

The current for the bulb 18 is supplied through a feed wire 33 which extends through the bracket arm 19, and is engaged with a suitable guide 34 within one corner of the casing 5, and finally is connected to an ignition plug 35 in the opposite corner of the casing. A conducting wire 36 is carried by the arm 11 and is attached at its ends to the contactmembers 37 and 38, respectively. A conductor 39 is also carried by the hand 13 and connects the lam 18 to a contact member 40. The hand is Further provided on one edge with a stop lug 41 to engage the arm an limit the movement of the hand to its extended position, at which time the contact members 38 and 39 will be engaged to close the circuit through the conductor 36, and the feed wire 33, it being understood, of course, that the contact 37 engages the ignition plug 35 when the arm 11 is disposed in its extended horizontal p0 sition.

In Fig. 5, of-the drawings, I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention in ried by said arm,

which the tubular rod 19 is provided with a level gear 42 within. .the casing, which meshes with a similar gear 43 fixed to the lower end of the arm 11 and of equal diameter therewith. In this construction the hand 13 is yieldingly held in its folded position with relation to the arm 11 by means of a spiral spring 44 which it houses within a housing 45 fixed to one side of the hand. One end of the spring is fixed to the wall of the housing and the other end to the shaft 12. A chain or other flexible element 46 is attached at one of its ends to said housing and at its other end is engaged with a pin 47 within the casing 5. In operation, when the rod or shaft 19 is turned, the gear 42 ene s outwardly from the casing to its horizontal position while the chain 46 turns the hand 1.3 to its extended position with respect to the arm 11 against the action of the spring 44. The spring is thus placed under tension, and when the rotation of the gear 12 is reversed, the spring expands and folds the hand upon the arm as the latter moves within the casing 5.

From the foregoing description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the my improved direction indicator will be readilly understood. It will'be appreciated that have materially simplified the prior patented construction so that the device will operate in a more positive and reliable.man-

ner, while the manufacturing cost thereof is the gear 43 causes the arm to swing construction and operation of,

appreciably reduced. The indicator can be readily applied to the ordinary windshield frame and easily and quickly adjusted to the desired position.

While'I have herein illustrated and dc scribed several satisfactory practical embodiments of my invention, it will he understood that the devicemay also be exem plified in numerous other alternative constrnctions. Accordingly, I reserve the privilege of adoptin all such cations in the or'm. construction and tivearrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

legitimate modifia rela--\ Having thus described my invention'what I claim is 2- 1. In a direction indicator for vehicles,

a casing, an arm pivotally mounted for movement into and out of said casing, a relatively movable indicating membesicarmeans operatively. oon-* nected to said member and carried by said arm for movement as a unit therewith, said means acting'to move said member to an indicative position .durin the pivotal movement of the arm, in one irection, and means for actuatingsaid arm.

2. In a direction indicator for vehicles, a. casing, an pivotally mounted for movement into and out of said casing, a relatively movable indicating member carried by said arm, an element operatively connected to said member and fixed with relation thereto, said element acting to move said member to an indicative position during the pivotal movement of the arm in one direction, and means for actuating said am.

3. In a direction indicator for vehicles, a casing, an arm pivotally mounted for movement into and out of said casing, a relatively movable indicating member carried by said arm, an endless flexible element movable with said arm and fixed against movement with respect thereto, means on said member co-acting with said endless element whereby the member is moved to an indicative position during the pivotal movement of the arm in one direction, and means for actuating said arm.

4. In a direction indicator for vehicles, a casing, an arm pivotally mounted for movement into and out of said casing, an indicating member pivoted upon said arm for movement relative thereto, a wheel fixed in concentric relation to the pivot oi said arm,

a cog gear fixed to said member in concentric relation to its pivot, an endless chain enga ed with said gear and having one of its lin s fixed to the periphery of said wheel, said chain and gear operating to move said member to an indicative position durin the pivotal movement of the arm in one direction, and means for actuating said. arm.

5. In a direction indicator foivehicles, a casing, an arm pivotally mounted for movement into and out of said casing, an indicating member pivoted upon said arm for movement relative thereto, a wheel fixed in concentric relation to the pivot of said arm, a cog gear fixed to said member in concentric relation to its pivot, an endless chain engaged with said gear and having one of its links fixed to the periphery of said wheel, said chain and gear operating to move said member to an indicative position durin the pivotal movement of the arm in one irection, means for tightening the chain upon I said Wheel, and means for actuating said arm.

-6.'In a direction indicator for vehicles, a casing, an arm pivotally mounted for movement into and out of said casing, an indicating member pivoted upon said arm :for movement relative thereto, a wheel fixed in concentric relation to the pivot of said arm, a cog gear fixed to said member in concentric relation to its pivot, an endless chain engaged with said gear and having one of its links fixed to the periphery of said wheel said chain and gear operating to move sai member to an indicative position durin the pivotal movement of the arm in one direction, an operating rod extending into the casing, means connecting said rod to the arm to actuate the latter and dispose the arm in its extended position from the casing when the rod is moved in one direction, and a spring acting to reverse the movement of the operating rod and return the parts to their normal positions.

7. In a direction indicator, a pivoted part,

'an indicating member mounted upon said part for movement in a plane in parallel relation thereto, and means carried by said part and operatively connected to said memher to move the latter to an indicative position with respect to said, part upon a pivotal movement thereof in one direction.

. 8. In a direction indicator, a pivoted part, an indicating member mounted upon said part for movement with respect thereto, a flexible element carried by said part and movable as a unit therewith, and means operatively connecting said flexible element to'the indicating member to move the latter to an indicative position with respect to said part upon a pivotal movement thereof in one direction.

9. In a direction indicator, a casing, an

arm pivotally mounted at one of its ends' for movement into and out of said casing, a relatively movable indicating member carried by said arm, means operatively connected to said member to move the same to an indicative position during the pivotal movement of the arm in one direction, a rotatably mounted operating rod extending exteriorly of the casing and operatively connected at one of its ends to the pivoted end of said arm, and a spring acting to rotate said rod in one direction and return the parts to their normal non-indicative positions with respect to said casing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LOUIS A. BEAN. 

